Echinacea plant named &#39;BLUS302&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Echinacea  plant named ‘Blus302’, characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; strong flowering stems; numerous large single-type inflorescences with light orange and red purple-colored ray florets and orange red-colored receptacle spines; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Echinacea hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BLUS302’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant, botanically known as Echinacea hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Blus302’.

The new Echinacea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new freely branching and relatively compact Echinacea plants with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Echinacea plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2014 in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands of Echinacea hybrida ‘Cleopatra’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,631, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Echinacea hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Echinacea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands in July, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Echinacea plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands since June, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Echinacea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Echinacea have been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Blus302’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Blus302’ as a new and distinct Echinacea plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Strong flowering stems.     -   5. Numerous large single-type inflorescences with light orange         and red purple-colored ray florets and orange red-colored         receptacle spines.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Cleopatra’. Plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of ‘Cleopatra’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowering stems of plants of the new Echinacea are longer and         stronger than flowering stems of plants of ‘Cleopatra’.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea are not as freely branching as         plants of ‘Cleopatra’.     -   3 Plants of the new Echinacea and ‘Cleopatra’ differ in ray         floret color as ray florets of plants of ‘Cleopatra’ are yellow         in color.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of Echinacea hybrida ‘Purple Emperor’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,459. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of ‘Purple Emperor’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowering stems of plants of the new Echinacea are stronger         than flowering stems of plants of ‘Purple Emperor’.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea and ‘Purple Emperor’ differ in         ray floret color as ray florets of plants of ‘Purple Emperor’         are purple in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Echinacea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Echinacea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Blus302’ grown in a ground bed in an outdoor nursery and placed in a container for the photograph.

The photographs on the second sheet are close-up views of a typical inflorescence (upper photograph) and the upper surface of a typical leaf (lower photograph) of ‘Blus302’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typically used in commercial Echinacea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 18° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Echinacea hybrida ‘Blus302’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Echinacea hybrida ‘Cleopatra’, disclosed in             U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,631.         -   Male parent.—Unknown selection of Echinacea hybrida, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically pale cream in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly             upright plant habit, narrow inverted triangle; freely             branching habit with about seven lateral branches developing             per primary branch; moderately vigorous growth habit;             moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 51.6             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 64             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 35.1 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 22.4 cm. Diameter: About             8 mm. Internode length: About 2.6 cm. Aspect: About 30° from             vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster:             Sparsely pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Basal leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About             19.7 cm. Width: About 4.6 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to             narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Sparsely             pubescent, strigose, rough, slightly rugose; slightly             glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Moderately             pubescent, strigose, rough; slightly glossy. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Close to 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between             NN137A and 147A; venation, close to 143A. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to NN137C; venation, close to             144D. Petioles, basal leaves: Length: About 4.5 cm. Width:             About 3.5 mm. Height: About 3 mm. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to             144A to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B.         -   Cauline leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 9.2 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to             narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Sparsely             pubescent, strigose; slightly glossy. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Moderately pubescent, strigose; slightly             glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves,             upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to between NN137A and 147A; venation, close             to 143A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to             NN137C; venation, close to 144D. Petioles, cauline leaves:             Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Height: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144A to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close             to 144B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Large single-type inflorescences with ray and             disc florets arranged on a capitulum; inflorescences             positioned upright above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 42             inflorescences developing per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about 100 days after             planting; in the garden, plants flower continuously during             the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two weeks on the plant; inflorescences             not persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About             4 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color: Involucral bracts, close to 146A;             developing ray florets, close to 151B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 10.8 cm. Depth (height):             About 3.8 cm. Disc diameter: About 5.1 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.             Color: Close to 155A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 22 arranged in             a single whorl. Length: About 4.9 cm. Width: About 1 cm.             Shape; Oblanceolate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous, slightly velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous, slightly velvety; slightly             glossy. Aspect: Mostly horizontal to slightly drooping,             about 5° below horizontal. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 26D; towards the base, close to 60D. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 16B and 26C; towards the             base, close to 53D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             26D; towards the base, close to 60D; venation, close to 16B;             color does not fade with development. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 16B and 26C; towards the base, close to             53D; venation, close to 12C; color does not fade with             development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 300 per             inflorescence, arranged spirally at the center of the             receptacle. Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Tubular; proximally, 15% free, not fused. Apex:             Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly upright.             Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Color, when opening, inner and outer             surfaces: Apex: Close to 176A. Mid-section: Close to 144C.             Base: Close to 152D. Color, fully opened, inner and outer             surfaces: Apex: Close to 176A. Mid-section: Close to 144C.             Base: Close to 152D.         -   Receptacle spines.—Quantity: One per disc floret. Length:             About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex:             Narrowly acute. Base: Cuneate. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Color: Apex: Close to 34A to 34B.             Mid-section: Close to 144A. Base: Close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 80             arranged in about four whorls. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width:             About 4 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire; moderately pubescent. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 143B. Color, lower             surface: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 13.7 cm.             Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 8 mm. Length, third             peduncle: About 8.6 cm. Diameter, third peduncle: About             5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect, terminal peduncle: Upright.             Aspect, third peduncle: About 30° from vertical. Texture and             luster: Sparsely pubescent; moderately glossy. Color: Close             to 146A with random spots, close to 144C and 144D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present only on disc             florets): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             5 mm. Filament color: Close to 151B. Anther length: About             3 mm. Anther width: About 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly             oblong. Anther color: Close to 203C. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 15A. Gynoecium (present             only on disc florets): Quantity per floret: One. Pistil             length: About 7 mm. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color:             Close to 151B. Stigma diameter: About 3.5 mm. Stigma shape:             Decurrent, cleft. Stigma color: Close to 200A. Ovary color:             Close to 145D. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development             have not been observed on plants of the new Echinacea to             date. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Echinacea have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Echinacea     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Echinacea have exhibited good     garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind. Plants of the new     Echinacea have been observed to tolerate high temperatures of about     35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Echinacea plant named ‘Blus302’ as illustrated and described. 